Classes that impacted who you are as a diver

[AJ]

Not a class - advice.

The absolute best diver I ever met gave me this advice: "Your card is a learners permit. You need to practice all those skills you were introduced to till you have them down to a conditioned reflex. Do only one at a time till you perfect it before you move on the next. First buoyancy, then trim, then ... And always, ALWAYS minimize your new task load. Never more than one new task till it's reflex."

I've followed her advice and it's worked well for me.

Exactly this is what GUE Fundamentals did for me. It did not only change my diving, but most and for all my attitude towards diving and certification.

 

[helodriver87]

Hands down GUE fundamentals. I took it really early (40 or so dives) and it totally changed my trajectory. My long term goal was always caves, and taking fundamentals early shaved a bunch of time off of that goal. Coming out of that class, I knew exactly what I needed to do and where I needed to be. Instead of just aimlessly building up experience and hoping I'd be ready for cave in a couple of years, I had specific goals and standards to work towards. I also had a great community of super active GUE divers to work with. It also dramatically improved my comfort and control in the water, which just makes diving way more fun. My C1 and C2 classes were awesome and I've learned a ton, but they didn't radically change things the way fundamentals did.

 

[Photo Girl]

It should be a mandatory course for all divers who dives with blonds.

So wait, let me get this straight. If I color my hair blond I become a more dangerous diver?

 

[kelemvor]

Zombie Apocalypse Diver. This course will change your life!

 

[Diver0001]

I have been flamed for having the label DM candidate on SB for the last 10 years. Assuming that the DM status gives you un fathomed wisdom. But it doesn’t. It was just a class, and I am just a diver - non professional. But - these are the classes that impacted me: Intro to GUE - a weekend course, but we drilled on buoyancy skill, kicks, and alot of skills. Have to make time for the full fundamental course. TDI solo - although there was no formal instruction in the water, the content does imprint the necessity of reserve gas in addition to the pony when you can not trust your instabuddy or the environment is new or different. It should be a mandatory course for all divers who dives with blonds, photographers, children, hunters or instabuddy. DM course - a good exposure and reinforcement of basic skills. Assisting in 4 classes gave me opportunities to practice rescue skills in real life, and witnessed true emergency like dealing with free flow regulator at depth in an aow class. Where else in Michigan can you dive in the winter? Sign up for a DM class! Better ask stupid questions in a class than on SB - you do not get flammed alot. I just carry an aow card when I dive. That is my level of diving - no more, no less.

1984: My OW course impacted my diving more than any other course. It was why I am I diver.

1984: The night diving specialty impacted my diving a lot too. I love diving at night. It is when I feel most at peace. It was the most valuable course I ever took aside from OW.

1985 and 2000: For a long period of time I took no courses. I took my rescue in 1985 and took it again in 2000 when I decided that I wanted to become a Divemaster.

2002: My DM course released a lot of energy into my diving. The same year I took IANTD advanced nitrox and some specialties, like ice diving that slingshot me onto a new plateau

You would think that becoming an instructor would be a special point of pride and while I am proud of my accomplishments as an instructor over a period of more than 10 years, becoming an instructor was more an extension of my role as DM than it was something entirely new. At the point at which I became an instructor I was becoming proficient as a technical diver. In terms of my own diving, my development as a technical diver was important to me. I took great pride in developing into a competent instructor and I was (and still am) passionate about helping beginners learn.

That said, I was an instructor for more than 10 years and had accomplishments that I am proud of, but that's over now and what's left is just Rob the diver. The fact that I am still diving 34 years later has somehow become its own reward.

R..

 

[EireDiver606]

Fundies

 

[TooManyHobbies]

When I asked a similar question recently What was the best training you ever did?, the two most common answers were Rescue Diver and GUE Fundies.

 

[EireDiver606]

When I asked a similar question recently What was the best training you ever did?, the two most common answers were Rescue Diver and GUE Fundies.

Of course it was. They’re both great classes and get you to think about diving differently.

 

[Landlocked123]

The classes that have impacted me the most are the ones I never took. I am PADI ow and AOW and If I had to do it again I would go UTD or GUE. I witness classes being taught across most agencies every weekend and I can tell you from my perspective UTD does a phenomenal job getting a diver headed in the right direction. That is my 2 cents.

 

[EireDiver606]

The classes that have impacted me the most are the ones I never took. I am PADI ow and AOW and If I had to do it again I would go UTD or GUE. I witness classes being taught across most agencies every weekend and I can tell you from my perspective UTD does a phenomenal job getting a diver headed in the right direction. That is my 2 cents.

Why don’t you take fundies? It seems you want to do it, what’s stopping you?